Medical cannabis patients and Americans for Safe Access (ASA) scored the first victory of the legislative cycle today when the Assembly Public Safety Committee approved AB 2312. This bill by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-SF) will create statewide regulations for medical cannabis, prevent most bans on cooperatives and collectives, and limit the amount of tax cities and counties can add to patients’ medicine. We have cleared the first hurdle. Can you help to support ASA today, so we have the resources to get AB 2312 adopted this year?

ASA is working with a coalition of patients, advocates, and organized labor to help turn the tide for medical cannabis in California. We are working with legislative staff to improve AB 2312 and rallying our grassroots base to support the bill. ASA members sent over 5,500 faxes through our online action alert in just eight days! Our letter of support for this bill was quoted as the primary argument in support in the committee’s report. And today, coalition representatives and I sat side by side with Assemblymember Ammiano to testify in support of this important bill.

Today was a good day, but we have a long way to go. ASA needs your help right now to be sure we can fight for AB 2312 and be sure that we protect patients’ access statewide. You can see that we can be effective. Take a minute right now to help us do more.

I hope you will join hundreds of patients and advocates in Sacramento May 19-21 for the California Unity Conference. It will be your chance to participate hands-on in the effort to adopt AB 2312, support other good legislation, and stop bills that threaten safe access. Take a minute to register for the conference right now. And don’t forget to buy tickets to ASA’s 10-year Anniversary Gala Celebration on Saturday night, May 19.

It is a time of great activism in the face of federal aggression and intimidation.